Let 'Em Eat Cake
Let 'Em Eat Cake is a stage musical. Cast *Lois Moran - Mary Wintergreen *William Gaxton - John P. Wintergreen *Victor Moore - Alexander Throttlebottom *Philip Loeb - Kruger *Florenz Ames - General Adam Snookfield *Ralph Riggs - President of the Union League Club/Chief Justice *George Kirk - Lieutenant Plot Nearly four years have passed since John P Wintergreen became President of the United States, and his re-election campaign is in full swing. But this time, he and Vice-President Throttlebottom face serious competition and their glib slogans (among them, "The Same Promises as Last Time") fail to impress an electorate mired in the Depression: Tweedledee receives the greatest popular vote ever accorded a Presidential candidate. When the Supreme Court Justices refuse to throw out the election, Wintergreen accepts defeat; he and his wife Mary arrange to move to New York. They set up shop on Union Square, selling blue shirts that Mary makes. But business is slow, owing largely to the country's sagging economy. Outside a malcontent named Kruger warns of impending revolution, furnishing Wintergreen with an inspiration: Why not lead the revolution? Italy has its black shirts, Germany its brown shirts. Wintergreen will sell blue shirts to every man in America and promise a revolution or your money back. Months pass, and from the now prosperous store (Shirts by the Millions) Throttlebottom anticipates the impending coup while Mary and John reveal the secret of their success. Mary plots to secure the backing of the female constituency, but what they need most is the support of the Army. Unfortunately, General Snookfield belongs to the Union League Club, a conservative social group that frowns on revolutions. Throttlebottom, whose uncle is a waiter at the club, is sent there to seek an endorsement. The League members are a few centuries behind the times; For them, news of a revolution conjures up visions of the British marching on Bunker Hill, and they eagerly join such a patriotic cause. Soon a confident Wintergreen and crew are heading for Washington. On the lawn of the White House, General Snookfield summons his troops in preparation to join up with the revolutionary forces. Wintergreen and his followers disrupt Tweedledee's Fourth of July speech only to receive some bad news: Summoned away by his playmate, Trixie, The General's Gone to a Party. Mary urges the Army to support her husband; when Wintergreen promises them the war debts, they eagerly overthrow Tweedledee's democracy. Wintergreen announces a new dictatorship of the proletariat. As the White House is repainted in the spirit of the revolution, blue, Wintergreen settles into his new job, relishing his absolute power. He turns the Supreme Court into a baseball team and appoints Throttlebottom umpire. When ten representatives from The League of Nations arrive to discuss their war debts, only Finland is willing to pay. Wintergreen devises a solution: a baseball game for the war debts — double or nothing — with the Supreme Court Justices playing the nine remaining members of the League of Nations. Outside the ball park, the judges exert pressure on Umpire Throttlebottom as they warm up. The League of Nations also tries to strong-arm Throttlebottom. And the game begins. The results are revealed later in a military courtroom where Throttlebottom is being tried for conspiracy. Despite the defendant's protests prosecutor Kruger convinces the court to Throttle Throttlebottom and sentence him to the guillotine. The ensuing Trial of Wintergreen brings a similar verdict as Wintergreen and his committee are sentenced to be beheaded at dawn. As Kruger proclaims himself dictator, he and Trixie celebrate their new regime. The following day reveals the crowd in a merry mood. Wintergreen and his cohorts are led to the guillotine, but Mary halts the proceedings with a Fashion Show of the latest Paris styles. Only blue can be worn under the revolution, Mary reminds the ladies present; however, if Kruger is overthrown, they will be free to dress as they please. Acquiescing to the female populace, the Army seizes Kruger. Wintergreen restores the Republic, but gives up his dreams of the Presidency to open a new clothing store. Since Tweedledee has accepted an offer to run Cuba, Throttlebottom becomes President. Musical numbers ;Act I *"Wintergreen for President" - Ensemble *"Tweedledee for President" - Ensemble *"Union Square" - Ensemble *"Down With Everyone Who's Up" - Kruger and Agitators *"Shirts by Millions" - Wives and Ensemble *"Comes the Revolution" - Alexander Throttlebottom and Ensemble *"Mine" - John P. Wintergreen, Mary Wintergreen and Ensemble *"Climb Up the Social Ladder" - Mary Wintergreen, Wives and Ensemble *"Cloistered from the Noisy City (The Union League)" - President of the Union League Club and Club Members *"Comes the Revolution" (Reprise) - Union League Club *"On and On and On" - John P. Wintergreen, John P. Wintergreen, Mary Wintergreen, Mary Wintergreen, Company and Company *"I've Brushed My Teeth" - Gen. Adam Snookfield and Dignitaries *"On and On and On" (Reprise) - Blue Shirts *"The General's Gone to a Party" - John P. Tweedledee, John P. Wintergreen, Lieutenant and Men *"All the Mothers of the Nation" - Mary Wintergreen, Wives and Girls *"Yes, He's a Bachelor" - John P. Wintergreen, Blue Shirts and Lieutenant *"There's Something We're Worried About" - Lieutenant, Army, Women, John P. Tweedledee and Kruger *"What's the Proletariat?" - Mary Wintergreen, Wives, Committee, Army and Company *"Let 'Em Eat Cake" - John P. Wintergreen and Company ;Act II *"Blue, Blue, Blue" - Wives and Ensemble *"Who's the Greatest?" - John P. Wintergreen and Ensemble *"No Comprenez, No Capish" - League of Nations, John P. Wintergreen, Mary Wintergreen and Ensemble *"Who's the Greatest?" (Reprise) - John P. Wintergreen and Ensemble *"Play Ball" - Girls *"When the Judges Doff the Ermine" - President of the Union League Club and Blue Shirts *"Up and at 'em" - Ensemble *"Oyez, Oyez, Oyez" - Soldiers and Spectators *"That's What He Did" - Alexander Throttlebottom, Kruger and Ensemble *"I Know a Foul Ball" - Alexander Throttlebottom *"Throttle Throttlebottom" - Kruger and Ensemble *"A Hell of a Hole (A Hell of a Fix)" - John P. Wintergreen, Kruger and Soldiers *"Down With Everyone Who's Up" (Reprise) - Kruger and Ensemble *"It Isn't What You Did" - John P. Wintergreen and Ensemble *"Mine" (Reprise) - John P. Wintergreen, Mary Wintergreen and Ensemble *"Hang Throttlebottom in the Morning" - Lieutenant and Ensemble *"Fashion Show" - Ensemble *"Finale" - Ensemble Category: Stage musicals